What brand filters and engine oil in your kubotas?

[Rocky Hoffler]

The answer to namesray question some Kubota filters are not available as they are propritary and can't be made by anybody else very common for companies to do this after a few years they come available usually at a lot less money

 

[buck boost]

Kubota filter and Shell Rotella T5 10W-30 oil. This thread reminded me, I need to change the oil in the Kub.

Same as what I run in my B2920. I just did my 200 hr service on that one though.

The M7040 has Kubota 10w-30 engine oil and Kubota filters.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

one real life experience to add to this (self serving, granted)...

we have had tractors though with non-OEM filters that collapsed because they did not pass the amount of oil necessary. In a recent case, NAPA would not pay the bill. Had that been an OEM filter, the customer would be $4500 richer as there is no where else to point fingers. Generally, OEM filters are priced inline when your comparing them to like industrial filters (fleetguard), and only a few bucks more than one an auto parts store will sell 10 minutes later to go on a mini-van. IMO... OEM filters are cheap insurance.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

one real life experience to add to this (self serving, granted)...

we have had tractors though with non-OEM filters that collapsed because they did not pass the amount of oil necessary. In a recent case, NAPA would not pay the bill. Had that been an OEM filter, the customer would be $4500 richer as there is no where else to point fingers. Generally, OEM filters are priced inline when your comparing them to like industrial filters (fleetguard), and only a few bucks more than one an auto parts store will sell 10 minutes later to go on a mini-van. IMO... OEM filters are cheap insurance.

 

[namesray]

one real life experience to add to this (self serving, granted)...

we have had tractors though with non-OEM filters that collapsed because they did not pass the amount of oil necessary. In a recent case, NAPA would not pay the bill. Had that been an OEM filter, the customer would be $4500 richer as there is no where else to point fingers. Generally, OEM filters are priced inline when your comparing them to like industrial filters (fleetguard), and only a few bucks more than one an auto parts store will sell 10 minutes later to go on a mini-van. IMO... OEM filters are cheap insurance.

yes, many questions remain. I would love to know who makes Kubota filters and why Kubota is so fussy with their darn sudt2. maybe there is something to it or maybe it is a gimmick, but why is there so many variable real world experiences out there (both good and bad) with both oem and after market? and as far as filters, what about the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975. states a equipment manufacture can't monopolize "their" brand of filters unless that manufacture gives their filters for free under warranty. so all proper cross reference filters should work fine.

as far as the above stated bad NAPA experience, I believe it "MIGHT" have been easier for the customer to be $4500 richer if a Kubota filter was on his tractor instead of a NAPA filter, but only because it was the easy way for Kubota to get out of the warranty work. if that owner really wanted to push his issue with either Kubota or NAPA, I believe he "COULD" have got somewhere and still be $4500 richer. just my opinion and don't get me wrong, I love Kubota equipment, I just am getting tired of maybe getting caught up in a big company's big money making gimmick (if that is what it is) by over spending on oem filters and oil.

I have already placed my order with NAPA to get a whole years supply of filters for all my Kubota equipment (b7800, b3200, rtv 900). I feel safe doing so with all my research to date. after all, I have been running aftermarket filters on my vehicles for years and no problems, so what makes tractors so much different provided you cross reference the filters properly? once again this is just my opinion for now, with the information I have for now. with more information I might have different thoughts.

I am also thinking of switching to shell rotella 10w 30 oil for the engine. the Kubota books don't specify Kubota engine oil like it does the Kubota sudt2 for the trans/hydraulics, so I feel ok switching engine oils as well. might be my tractors funeral, but....:confused3: who knows.

 

[mkreitler]

There is good and bad about anything if one just reads far enough into it,everyone has his or her opinion on everything in todays world.I like PURE-POWER as far as filters there cleanable & reusable for a LIFETIME and made to last truly a work of art all aluminum and CNC machined and you gain better flow and the oil runs a little cooler.Also at every oil change you have a easy way of knowing what is going on in the motor without having to cut a filter apart. Also it doesn't end up in a LANDFILL.It's only my opinion but for what it's worth it makes good sense. SHELL ROTELLA is the NO.1 oil for DIESELS because it's available everywhere and very cost effective to use. As I said before I run SCHAEFFER'S because it's the oldest lubricating oil co. in the U.S.A. and located in St.Louis, MO. so it's in my back yard. As long the oil meets CJ-4 specs. and ROTELLA has no problem there. Long live your KUBOTA!

 

[Bigfoot62]

one real life experience to add to this (self serving, granted)...

we have had tractors though with non-OEM filters that collapsed because they did not pass the amount of oil necessary. In a recent case, NAPA would not pay the bill. Had that been an OEM filter, the customer would be $4500 richer as there is no where else to point fingers. Generally, OEM filters are priced inline when your comparing them to like industrial filters (fleetguard), and only a few bucks more than one an auto parts store will sell 10 minutes later to go on a mini-van. IMO... OEM filters are cheap insurance.

Ken,
I use OEM filters on my tractors. The OP referenced NAPA filters. I just pointed out that IF he were going to use an aftermarket filter, then buy a WIX instead of paying 3x for the NAPA. (since WIX makes the NAPA filters)

 

[The Fred]

I quit selling most all NAPA filters after dissecting one from my own vehicle. They are very poorly built.

I'll sell them if that's all I can get, small town.

Fred

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I have been running aftermarket filters on my vehicles for years and no problems, so what makes tractors so much different provided you cross reference the filters properly?

NAPA story was on a New Holland, but brand is beside the point.

I've been though a few fleet guard presentations on this stuff, fleet guard is probably the biggest OEM for tractor filters. I know they do some Kubota stuff, but not all. They do most everything for CNH. Their platform is that a car is typically under a highly variable load, averaging around 20%. A tractor is under a much heavier load without nearly as much variability. For that reason, its much easier for an aftermarket filter to preform on a car or truck than it is on a tractor, the spec does not need to be as close to what the factory intended. When cross referencing something, you simply don't know how close the filter really is to spec. You also don't know mechanical designs like will it bypass and how much, flow rates, etc. Its very possible to get a good cross referenced filter and I am sure there are good products out there, but finding the right match is really a lot more complicated than just checking if the threads fit.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

on fluids. Any CJ-4 engine oil is fine. No worries there.

SUDT2 can be important to run in some machines. Gear drives and warm climates can sometimes get away without it, but here in the North East we do see performance and noise differences when your not running the intended hydraulic fluid. You'll find that echoed by many people here. At this point, there is no one doing an oil that's actually a true replacement for the trans fluid. In the newer tractors, the service interval chart shows much longer change intervals IF your using SUDT2 so the little added cost there at least has some mileage.